After Betty died, Jake gave me a stack of his writings.  I was shocked at this creative side of him.  And I was surprised that he was sober and off the couch enough to produce such writings.  I’m typing as Jake typed them in all caps on a manual typewriter.  Bad spelling but phonetically close.  I’m happy to say I no longer feel superior to Jake. He had issues I never had. All I ever had was given to me by God – country, church, friends, teachers, family, people like Jake and Betty. Names have been changed.

A LETTER TO HEAVEN,  WRITEN BY JAKE

DEAR BETTY LOU

ONLY GOD IN HEAVEN NOS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU

AND LITTLEDARLING GOD IN HEVEN NOS I LOVE YOU SO

AND HE NOS HOW MUCH IT BROK MY HEART TO HAFT TO LET YOU GO

MOM LITTLE TOMMY KNOS THAT YOU AR GONE BUT HE DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY

SO HE ASKS ME EVER NIGHT FOR YOU AND HE HUGES ME AND CRY

SO MOM IF YOU CAN LOOK DOWN FROM HEVEN AND SEE A OLD MAN AND A LITTLE BOY THAT IS SAD AND BLUE

MOM THAT IS ME AND LITTLE TOMMY WITHOUT YOU

MOM WE MADE A VOW FORTY ONE A GODEATH O WE PART

AND MOM WE KEEP OUR VOW FOR WE NEW EACH OTHERS HART

MOM WE HAVE A LOVE FOR EACH OTHER THAT WILL NEVER END

AND SUM DAY IN HEVEN OUR NEW LIFE WILL BEGIN

MOM WHILE YOU WAS ON WITH ME HERE ON ARTH I COULDEN NOT GIVE YOU A HOME WITH CHYSTAL SHANDLERS AND BIG BAY WENDER PAINDS

BUT WE ALL WAYS HAD A LITTLE HOME THAT SHALTERED US AND OUR CHILDRERN FROM THE COLD AND RAIN

MOM I NO THAT YOUR LITTLE BODY LAYS IN A COLD DARK GRAVE

BUT OUIR LOERD WILL RAISE IT UP FOR HE HAS HELING IN HIS WING

This is about half of Jake’s letter.  He ends with this couplet.

AND MOM WE WILL WALK HAND TO HAND THROUGH OUT GODS LAND

AND HE WILL TAKE US TO A CITY OF FOUR SQUAR

AND ALL OF OUR FRENDS AND LOVE ONES WILL BE WITH US UP THERE.

Jake also wrote many poems inspired by the Bible.  A bit of one follows:

THE WOMAN FROM SAMARIA

JESUS THEREFORE BEING WEARIED WITH HIS JOURNEY HE SET UPON JOBS WELL

AND THE WOMAN FROM SAMARIA COME TO DRAW WATER AND OUR LORD HAD A GRATE MESIG TO TEAL

HE TOLD HER OF A WELL OF WATER SPRINGING UP IN TO EVER LASTING LIFE

AND HE SENT HER BACK DOWN TO SAMARIA AND SHE LED MENEY SOLDS TO CHRST.

AND HE TOLD THEM THAT GOD IS NOT A SPITOR OF PERISONS AND IT MAKS NO DEFRINCE IF YOU AR A SAMARIA OR A JUE GOD IS SPIRIT AND HE LOVES YOU

_*******

This will probably be read my some local people who will recognize Betty, Jake, and Tommy. If so, they will be happy to know more about how things turned out for this family. I was given permission to use these writings I wanted to. Most of them I gave back to one of the sons.

Remembering them bring tears as I rejoice in the Love of Jesus for them and for their victory over this earth. Jake’s love. I wonder if the Lord has let Jake mine out some “crystal chandeliers” and install a “big bay window pain” for Betty. Victory!